So, What's this all about?

Hey there, Thanks for stopping by😀...

So where do I start? 

Personal finance is a part of our everyday lives. Whether it's managing your expenses, learning to save or invest, or even understanding your income, if you're alive you need to learn how to manage your money.

So why isn't this something we’re taught in school? 

Just like you I have no idea. I guess to the education system somehow learning the Pythagorean Theorem (and yes I had to Google how to spell that lol) is more critical than learning about interest rates and credit scores and how understanding them can help make your life a little easier and a lot less stressful. This has always baffled me, more so now than when I was younger, that we were never taught these things in school or in most cases than not we weren't taught these things at home.

I was in for a rude awakening...

I don't know about you but money wasn't really discussed in my family growing up. Other than hearing the grown-ups complain about needing it, not having it, or looking for an easy way to come into it, mostly through playing the lotto or buying scratch offs, there wasn't much talk about it; or at least not with us kids. All I knew growing up was that I had a roof over my head, clothes on by back, and food in my stomach but what went on behind the scenes to make that happen was mostly unknown. 

This left me in for a rude awakening when I was 18 and moved into my first apartment and had no idea how to write a check; or when I was in my mid-20s starting to pay back my student loans and realizing only about half of the $3,000 I paid that year came off of the principal because the other half went to interest!

WTF???!!😡😠😟

Like seriously, I knew I had to do something. I needed to learn about personal finances and how to manage my money so I wouldn’t spend the next 20 years paying twice for an education I received once, because of interest. 

So I set out to learn...

Nothing too intrusive, I simply started reading articles about personal finances: paying off debt, how to save, how to budget, all while sitting on the couch or laying in bed with the TV on in the background. I was learning tips and using the ones that I felt were right for me but I was also changing the way I thought about money. After a while, I started to see my savings grow and  one by one debts slowly going away. 

This made me want to learn more, do more, and share what I was learning. But the last part wasn’t as easy as the first two. As you may or may not know, money isn’t really talked about in the Black community and knowing that my financial situation was vastly different than my friends I was afraid my advice would be taken the wrong way. But after awhile I realized that it didn’t  make sense to let people stumble through the same things I did if my experiences could help make things a little easier for them. 

Like I wouldn’t burn my hand on a hot plate and not warn the next person before they did the same thing, so why not do the same when it comes to finances; especially for those who don’t have any experience or working knowledge on what to do and how to do it. I know money can be a touchy subject but it shouldn’t be, which is why I’m starting this blog.

...and I wanted to help others

I felt the need to start this blog  because I wanted a platform or forum for those who are usually under-represented when it comes to talking about finances, the everyday young black person who's just starting out. I've read financial books geared towards "young" people or "broke" people but it's hard to relate to someone who started investing in their early twenties because their parents taught them the ins and outs of the stock market or someone who was able to build up their savings quickly because their parents paid for school so they didn't have to deal with student loans.  

I'm not saying this to downplay someone else's success or make an excuse for my situation but what I'm trying to do is help put things in perspective.I feel we often fall into a rut because we fixate on what others are doing and stop focusing on what we need to do. Use their stories for inspiration but understand that your situation is not the same so your journey won't be either. Don't be discouraged if you aren't able to pay off $20K in debt in six months or pay off your student loans in 2 years but do be encouraged to use the tools and tips provided that can help you where you currently are in life so that one day that success story will be yours.  

Let the Journey Begin!

I'm not going to claim or pretend that I know everything because I don't. This is as much as a learning process for me as it is for you. But if I am able to pass along any tidbit of information, or tools I use,  or things I wish I knew when I was younger that can help you in anyway I'm all for it!

I want this to be a safe space for young people to discuss finances in an open and honest way. In an effort of full transparency, I will try to be as open about my personal financial journey as much as possible; including the good, the bad, and the ugly.

With that being said I hope you will find this blog useful. If you do, please leave a comment letting me know. If you don't but know someone who might send them the link. If you have any questions please let me know. I will answer to the best of my ability or find you the right resources that can.